Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!caen!ox.com!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker From: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: Hi All. Message-ID: <13327@bunker.UUCP> Date: 9 Aug 90 19:49:00 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org Distribution: misc Organization: FidoNet node 1:385/14.0 - Fingers Talk, Lawton OK Lines: 47 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Index Number: 9655 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] > I agree and disagree with that statement. I feel > the state of education in this country in general is appalling > and needs a severe overhaul with much stronger emphasis on the > basics which involves reading and the banning of calculators > from math classes. I think this is something that should be > done in all classes, not just in deaf schools. I am in full agreement with you here, however, I don't think we're going to see deaf schools around much longer since mainstreaming is becoming the "in" thing right now as most parents want their hearing impaired children to be in regular classrooms. > At the same time I do subscribe also to the need to teach > ASL as the primary language for the deaf to communicate with. > I think Written and Reading English skills are much too low > to be tolerated but feel english should be taught as a foreign > language which is what it is. ASL and English are different > and need to be taught, but taught separately. I think we may have to agree to disagree here, Bill as I don't feel ASL should be the primary language for the deaf to communicate. As one who has a congenital profound nerve deafness (the oldest of 3 siblings who are profoundly deaf), I have never used ASL, in fact, I was almost 4 years old before my parents realized I was deaf since I could speak and lipread. I realize the concentration span is stressful for one who lipreads but it can be done and it's not as hard as so many say it is. I'm just appalled at the fact that so many of the deaf people cannot read beyond the 4th grade level due to their lack of the English language and in order to overcome this situation, we need to make some changes and I don't feel using ASL as the primary language is the way to do this, it's already been proven it isn't. Stepping down from 'soap box' mode. This is a very controversial issue but one that needs to be covered and also one that needs to be looked at realistically. Regardless of what communication mode we use, we still need to work together as a whole to make this WIDE and WONDERFUL world of ours a better place for us. It's our place to educate the unknown. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org